Horror. A painful emotion excited by the expectation of evil, or the fear of impending danger; apprehension; anxiety; alarm; dread.

Horror. A painful emotion excited by the expectation of evil, or the fear of impending danger; apprehension; anxiety; alarm; dread.

• Foreshadowing. Foreshadowing occurs when a writer provides hints that suggest future events in a story. It creates suspense and makes readers eager to find out what will happen.

• Irony. Irony is a special kind of contrast between appearance and reality—usually one in which reality is the opposite of what it seems. (example, “The Ransom of Red Chief”)

• Metaphor. A metaphor is a comparison of two things that are basically unlike but have some qualities in common.

• Simile. A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison between two unlike things using the word like or as.

• Mood. Mood is the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader. Think about how the story makes you feel.

• Tone. The tone expresses the writer’s attitude toward his or her subject.

• Horror literature is completely dependent on what terrifies readers the most.

• As little children, we were afraid of the boogeyman in the closet or the monster underneath the bed.

• As we get older, our fears become more sophisticated. They become the death of a loved one, the sight of a pool of blood, or the dread of losing control of ourselves.

• Some of us can never overcome our fears…

Gothic fiction arouses terror and horror in the reader. Sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre or mode of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. You are also more likely to encounter an unreliable narrator.